The Spice Thread

[PastCaring]

I normally buy my seeds from the garden centre or Wilkos. I've also had good results in the past from planting the seeds out of the dried chillies that you can buy in the supermarket. For a greater choice of varieties, there are specialist chilli websites.

Just bought a couple of new mini propagators, ready for planting some seeds in the next few weeks.

[t8yman]

Are seeds any good when they have been frozen? I might try and grow myself a naga plant.

[PastCaring]

I dunno - try it and see - and let us know if you have any success ....

[The Nal]

So I bought a Weber smoker and have been doing a bit recently. Pork shoulders, briskets, ribs, chicken etc. Really great results. Delighted with it. But I've been spending a fortune on paprika and chili powder.

Just made a trip up to the Asian market. Got a shit load of paprika, chili powder, extra hot chili powder, cumin etc all for 20 euro. By weight, it would cost close to 100 quid in Tesco!

[viberunner]

So if I wanted to grow my own chilis (hot and sweet green ones) where would I get the best seeds?

You can get pre-started chilli plants, I got one at B&Q or somewhere. Gets them to fruiting very quickly.

Also: Scotch Bonnets. I'm not contributing to a spicy thread without mentioning those.

[Uncle Liam]

Scotch Bonnets are childs play! hah!

[Uncle Liam]

So I bought a Weber smoker and have been doing a bit recently. Pork shoulders, briskets, ribs, chicken etc. Really great results. Delighted with it. But I've been spending a fortune on paprika and chili powder.

Just made a trip up to the Asian market. Got a shit load of paprika, chili powder, extra hot chili powder, cumin etc all for 20 euro. By weight, it would cost close to 100 quid in Tesco!

When I move to Doha in August one of the first places I'll be going to is local food market to stock up on that kind of stuff. Apparently it's dirt cheap if you get it from there. When I fly back at Xmas I'll be bringing a load of the stuff back to cook some epic meals for people.

[Katster]

Chilli plants are one of the easiest house plants to grow (in my experience). I have bought seeds online but also used the seeds of chillis bought in the supermarket which have grown perfectly well too. I miss having chilli plants but it all got a bit ridiculous last time so I'm waiting until I have a house and a garden for the next lot.

[PastCaring]

How are people's chilli plants doing? Ours are doing excellently well this year! We already have some decent sized Hungarian Hot Wax, some tiny, but growing fast, Apache and Prairie Fire, and the rest are either flowering, or on the point of doing so. We're well pleased!

[zero000]

I'm thinking of growing some chillies in my office. Any recommendations for a start up kit? I want them really spicey obviously!

[t8yman]

I'd buy a plant tbh

[zero000]

I'd buy a plant tbh

Fair enough. What plant/variety then?

[Katster]

I disagree, it's more fun growing from seed!

Any variety really, go for the heat you want. They are attractive plants and pretty easy to care for, lots of sunshine not too much water, easy.

[eFestivals]

Dr Burnoriums's HOT SAUCE EMPORIUM

http://www.hotsauceemporium.co.uk

And the world's best very-super-market

http://www.sweetmart.co.uk

[Uncle Liam]

Dr. Burnorium is a great, great man.

[midnight]

(nah, peel, par boil with green pepper corns, a dash of cider vinegar, fresh bayleaf, whole cloves of garlic (peeled), and fresh herbs (rosemary, sage or thyme) for around 15 minutes until they're on the edge of becoming mash - no salt. (drain - save the liquor to steam vegetables with and then to make stock).

In the pan add a large spoon of fat, seasoning (salt/pepper), a couple chillis (thinly sliced with kitchen scissors), mash the garlic cloves you added earlier, remove stalks of fresh herbs and roughly chop, add a finely chopped shallot - in the pan roll the potatoes in the mix. Then pour whole lot into roasting tray around the joint.

Cook for 30-40 mins, then add the whole olives and a touch of olive/rapeseed oil) a touch more seasoning, roast for another 40 mins, leave in the oven with the oven off while making gravy, and leaving the meat to rest for 10 minutes).

OMG, that sounds delicious! When can I come over for dinner?

Love chilli, but I am not in the same league as most of you (vindaloo level is where I usually have to stop), and my attempts to grow my own literally never bore fruit, the plants did not survive the move back indoors in autumn. Might try again some day.

Friend of mine lived in Mexico for some years and took me to some street market in the mountains one day - I've never seen so many different chillies in my life. I like the way the Mexicans can flavour almost anything with chilli and lemon.

[PastCaring]

I disagree, it's more fun growing from seed!

Any variety really, go for the heat you want. They are attractive plants and pretty easy to care for, lots of sunshine not too much water, easy.

I always do both - buy a few small plants but also grow some seeds. That way, you're almost guaranteed to get at least some fruit! I find the basic growing kits, that you can buy cheaply from places like Wilkos and Home Bargains, are a very reliable and easy way to grow chillis from seed. My Cayenne plants are doing amazingly well this year, and they started out as a kit that I bought for about 99p at Wilkos! However, it is a bit in the year to be planting seeds now, so, if you wanted to get some chillis this year, I think you'd have to buy a plant.

I can't get over how much my plants have grown after the recent rain! I swear one of my Cayenne's has grown about six or nine inches, virtually overnight!

[PastCaring]

Oh, I nearly forgot! If anyone lives in the East Midlands area, I notice there's a chilli festival happening at Newark Showground on 15th-17th August. We'll probably potter over there for an afternoon ....

[The Nal]

Another site to add to the pot. Excellent selection.

[Thearg]

Bought a bottle of this the other day http://auntmaysfoodproducts.com/aunt-mays-sauces.html

Its not blow your head off hot but really nice,fruity and mustardy.

I don't know about lasting the summer though I've been using the stuff like ketchup and the bottles nearly empty.

you can buy in Tescos in London but I'm in a hick town in the midlands at the moment and they don't seem to sell it.

I will be stocking up when I go back to the big smoke next week.

Edited October 20, 2014 by Thearg

[Uncle Liam]

I bought some Naga sauce in Doha last week for the equivalent of about 25p.

It wasn't actually that hot compared to what I'm used to thanks to Dave and friends.

Struggling to locate some nuclear chillis over here which is a shame. Must be some somewhere.

I didn't mention it before, but when we were at Beacons last month, I held a cocktail party in my hotel room on the Saturday morning. The order of the day for everyone was Bloody Mary's, but instead of Tabasco, each contained a shot of Dave's Ultimate Insanity Sauce. Our mouths were burning and Xantac was the order of the day, mixed with a substantial amount of alcohol.

Later in the day (well, about 3pm) I decided I wanted another, so I went to the cocktail stand, ordered a bloody mary and said "don't be shy with the chilli". The look on the guys face as I dumped an entire small bottle of "ass blaster" hot sauce into this somewhat lovingly made Bloody Mary was priceless!

[5co77ie]

...as this threads re-animated

anyone eaten at Luardos burritos stall this summer? Best hot sauce of the summer winners IMHO.

Made fresh, I was told the recipe at EOTR but promptly forgot it!

[The Nal]

Made a crayfish and sausage gumbo last night. The some of the Hottest Fucking Sauce in there. Just had some for lunch too. Really good.

Also being making a lot with chipotle peppers. Lovely. Real smoky. Easy to make a chipotle adobo sauce too which can be used for all sorts.

So what are on peoples recipe list for the winter?

Edited October 17, 2014 by The Nal

[ThomThomDrum]

Dr Burnoriums's HOT SAUCE EMPORIUM

http://www.hotsauceemporium.co.uk

Im loving some of the sauce names!

Ass Reaper

Colon Cleaner

Fear

Pain is Good

Rectal Rocket Fuel

Rectum Ripper

Sphicter Shrinker

Wet Fart

One Fuckin Drop at a Time

[t8yman]

my fave sauce is still "naga viper", its got all of the heat, all of the smokiness of the naga, and I can lather it all over fajitas or anything I fancy and it becomes chili heaven.